“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” ~Second Corinthians 10.5, KJV

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”~ Second Corinthians 10.5, ESV

What bothers me most about race is its position.  Its status and rank in the lives of believers raises concern.  Race can enter a room without reservation, introduction or explanation.  It is not questioned or asked to identify itself but moves about as if it belongs.  The presence of race and our belief in it is not challenged by our faith but is somehow made to fit in.  Well, it doesn’t. 

Our knowledge of race does not support our knowledge of Jesus Christ.  His ministry reconciliation and the salvation that is offered to all of humanity through His atoning sacrifice on the cross is not supported by the claims of race, its stereotypes and prejudices. In this second letter written to the church at Corinth, Paul writes, “For if a person comes and preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach or you receive a different spirit, which you had not received or a different gospel, which you had not accepted, you put up with it splendidly! (11.4)”  Jesus socially colored black, white, red, yellow, brown or beige is another Jesus.  A spirit that does not bring unity but division is a different spirit.  A gospel that proclaims moral superiority and subsequent salvation based on the social coloring of one’s sin is a different gospel.  And like the Christians in Corinth, we put up with it splendidly!

We do not wrestle with race.  We do not attempt to pin it down or place it under us.  We do not fight against it because we consider it natural and thus, divinely sanctioned.  But, race is an imagination that needs to be cast down.  It is a high thing that seeks to exalt itself against the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  And we must capture this thought and make it obedient to Jesus Christ, knowing that “every mountain and hill, (every high thing) will be made low” (Luke 3.4-6); Isaiah 40.3-5).  Race will come down whether we want it to or not.  It is no competition for Christ.